2010 Ford Transit Connect

Fords urban carryall makes its U.S.-market debut.

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Ford is using the 2009 Chicago auto show to reveal the U.S.-market 2010 Transit Connect. One of CEO Alan Mullaly’s first moves at Ford was to start the process of introducing some of Ford’s excellent European portfolio to the United States, so the Transit Connect’s arrival is not surprising. In other markets, the little carryall is available in a number of chassis configurations. The U.S. version will stick to a single wheelbase and body style with sliding doors on the sides and two vertical doors in the rear. Variations are limited to window configurations: a wagon version with glass on the sides and rear doors, a cargo version that goes without side glass, or a panel van that gets rid of the glass on the sides and rear.

A few commercial customers will be able to buy an all-electric Transit Connect in 2010. Ford hasn’t released pricing, volume, or specifications beyond stating that the range will stretch as far as 100 miles. Most Transit Connects will be sold with the conventional powertrain option—front-wheel drive with a 2.0-liter Duratec inline-four connected to a four-speed automatic transmission. Output numbers aren’t yet finalized, but expect in the neighborhood of 136 hp and 128 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy is predicted to be 20 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

An American Freshening

This current vehicle dates back to 2003, with an update in 2006. For its U.S. debut, the Transit Connect has been further freshened up with a new grille and interior pieces. The inside of the Transit lacks frills but has more of a solid feel to the plastic than the outright cheapness found in Ford’s own U.S.-spec Focus. Ford claims a cargo volume of 135 cu ft in the two-passenger versions of the Transit Connect (the wagon version has a folding second-row bench) and a load length of 72.6 inches. By comparison, the Chevrolet HHR Panel has 63.1 cubes of storage including the cargo bins underneath the load floor, and the Transit Connect will only be a few inches longer than the HHR. Payload in the Transit Connect is listed at an impressive 1600 pounds. The high roof also allows for a storage shelf above the windshield.

The Transit Connect goes on sale this summer with a base price of $21,475, not bad for such a useful commercial vehicle. Front and side airbags, ABS, and air conditioning are all standard. In addition, the Transit Connect will be available with Ford Work Solutions, a system that can be outfitted with, among other items, an in-dash computer with internet access and an RFID tool-tracking system.